Does this trade make sense for the Oklahoma City Thunder?
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the youngest team in the league entering the 2021-22 season with an average age of 22.93-years-old and they are a team that is building for the future. Winning is not something they are envisioning this year or possibly even next year, as the next few seasons are all about finding the right talents to once again become a championship-level team in the Western Conference.
The era of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka in Oklahoma City was great, as that team reached the NBA Finals in 2012, but they failed to win a title. Sam Presti wants to build another championship-contending team and he believes that with the pieces they have in place right now, that winning a championship is definitely doable in the foreseeable future.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to be a potential All-Star on this roster already, but they need more key talents to build with, primarily in their frontcourt, if the Thunder are to finally take another big step in their rebuilding process. Adding James Wiseman would be a fantastic move for many different reasons, even if they have to sacrifice a couple of future first-round picks to get him.
At the end of the day, the Thunder are not going to use all of the first-round picks they have stashed over the next several years, which is why leveraging some of them to get a potential future All-Star could pay off big-time for them.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: This Raptors-Warriors Trade Features OG Anunoby
Wiseman was the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, as mentioned before, and the potential is definitely there for him. Going to a team like the Thunder and playing with other young, athletic players could do wonders for his development and career trajectory, especially since the frontcourt would be all his.
In Oklahoma City, James Wiseman could see well over 25-plus minutes per game, and for a young player early on in their career, playing time is all that is needed. With Golden State looking to contend for a title, Wiseman is going to split time with Kevon Looney and even Draymond Green in smaller lineups at the center position, limiting his opportunities to improve outside of team practices/scrimmages.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: This Raptors-Warriors Trade Features OG Anunoby
Building for the future is something Sam Presti has shown a lot of skill in doing as the longest-tenured general manager in the NBA and adding James Wiseman would be yet another brilliant move one of the best league executives could make at this time.
